


Gaius and Estinien Annoy Garlemald

by Remasa



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:29:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25937446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Remasa/pseuds/Remasa
Summary: After hearing stories about Ser Estinien Wyrmblood's escapades, Gaius Baelsar extends an invitation to combine forces in hunting down and destroying Black Rose.  He did not expect there to be much of an issue.  After all, tales of the dragoon's notable exploits had reached even Garlemald's borders.  But it turns out, Estinien does not exactly follow orders very well, having acted alone for so long.  Now, instead of only worrying about Black Rose, Gaius also has to contend with Estinien's unpredictable behavior.And here he thought dealing with the Empire would be the hardest part of this mission.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Gaius and Estinien Annoy Garlemald

_**Gaius and Estinien Annoy Garlemald** _

"Okay, everyone listen up," Gaius said, motioning for his team to gather together. Severa and Valdeaulin complied without protest. Estinien rolled his eyes, but stopped his forward march and went to stand next to the others, arms folded across his chest and face drawn into a scowl of impatience.

They had gotten word that a shipment of Black Rose was being manufactured within the walls of this unassuming building, hidden deep inside the borders of the Dalmascan desert. Following up on the lead, Valdeaulin had scouted the area briefly before reporting back on troop movements. Movements which shouldn't exist if this building were as abandoned as the Empire would like people to believe. It hadn't taken much to neutralize the patrols – Gaius' military expertise shining through spectacularly – and now they stood outside a nondescript locked door. The sandy beige of the paint blended in with the rest of the stonework so much they almost missed it on their first pass around the building. It was only thanks to Gaius' sharp eyes they had discovered it when they did. Estinien held an identification key that he had pilfered from one of the guards patrolling the perimeter.

"It is as we discussed earlier," Gaius began, sliding a fierce look perfected after years of frightening subordinates over to Estinien. The dragoon ignored it. Gaius continued his briefing. "We do not exactly know where the chemical is being stored. We need to sneak in and make our way to their central control room. From there, we shall be able to hack into the system and pull up a map of the facility. All of the laboratories use the same programs, so Severa should have no trouble locating the information we seek. Since this unit has been reconditioned out of an already existing building, I do not have the interior mapped out as well as I would one of the Garlean-built Castrums. Above all, the key to our success today is- where are you going?"

Estinien had broken away from the group with a huff of exasperation. "The Warrior of Light was right: you talk too much," he called over his shoulder before tapping his key to the identification pad on the wall and slipping inside the doors.

As the doors slid closed, Gaius clenched a fist to quell the irritation welling up inside him.

"Sir?" Valdeaulin's voice broke through his thoughts.

"After him," Gaius ordered. "Maybe we can stop him before he does something reckless and ruins this entire mission."

As he pulled open the door, still unlocked (Gaius didn't believe in any of the gods Eorzeans worshiped, but no one would know if he sent up a silent prayer of thanks for that small favor), he spotted Estinien standing over the bodies of several guards, all of whom lay unconscious.

With a wry smile, Estinien sheathed his spear upon his back. "So good of you to join me," he said, and Gaius could have sliced his _Heirsbane_ through the waves of sarcasm oozing from the man. "I was half-expecting to complete this entire mission myself."

In a turn of surprising good fortune, the small door they had entered through opened directly into one of the security rooms. The air was stagnant and warm and a low hum permeated the room, setting his teeth on edge. He hated that prickly sensation associated with dozens of magitek equipment stuffed inside a poorly ventilated area. He shifted his weight onto one foot to hide his discomfort. Despite the many weeks traversing in and out of the Burn and nearby deserts, he loathed the suffocating feeling of rooms like these. Garlean facilities were engineered with airflow in mind – their long grated walkways and cavernous rooms allowed for ample room to work on Allagan relics and tiny complex communication devices alike. But in a hastily retrofitted building? The thick stone that served as a fortress against the harsh elements outside only hindered the scientists working indoors. Gaius couldn't tell if this was the primary security center, but the numerous monitors and stations would be good enough for their task at hand. Except for one small problem.

"How are we to interrogate any of the control workers when you have rendered them all unconscious?" Gaius asked, motioning to the bodies at their feet. "We need information about where they are housing Black Rose. The Empire has scrubbed any specific details from their computerized records on the location of the storage rooms after we were able to use that against them earlier. And we are ill afforded the time to examine every room here."

The grin Estinien shot him caused the hair to rise on the back of his neck. Why was there this sudden sensation of dread? He had a bad feeling he would regret asking that question. Estinien walked over to a panel.

"Wait, Ser Estinien, what are you-?"

Estinien slammed his hand down on a giant button.

Alarms blared. Severa and Valdeaulin jumped. They shot each other a look before turning to him, stepping toward the door in anticipation of orders to retreat.

Gaius narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything just yet. On screen, dozens of workers scrambled around as the alarms, loud and obnoxious, continued to announce their presence. Estinien leaned over one microphone and pressed another button.

"Attention, attention," he said, his voice echoing through the facility's loudspeakers. "Intruders are in the building. All personnel are to immediately stop what they are doing and defend the stores of Black Rose. I repeat: all personnel are to _immediately_ cease their activities and defend the stores of Black Rose."

Estinien leaned back after his announcement and stared at the monitors above. "Watch and learn, old man," he said.

Reluctantly, Gaius stepped forward beside him and kept his eyes on the screens. On them, many soldiers and scientists began to shift their movements. Gaius followed their paths, carefully tracking them until...

"There," he declared, pointing at the screen. "They have all congregated in that room. Black Rose must be there."

Severa had already begun tapping on the panel in front of her the moment Gaius spoke. Within seconds, she had the schematics for the facility uploaded to their devices.

"Don't forget an exit route," Estinien advised, watching Valdeaulin place and set the timers on several bombs around the room. "This one won't do."

Severa nodded mutely, but Estinien was already moving to the door. "Well?" he asked. "Are you coming or not?" He vanished down the hall, bellowing out a war cry as he departed. The echos of clanging metal soon reached Gaius' ears. He ran a hand through his hair.

"Sir?" Severa inquired, looking to him for orders.

He sighed, dropping his hand to his side, leaving his hair ruffled. "Follow him. Despite his _unorthodox_ methods, we know where Black Rose is. We complete our objective."

Severa nodded and hurried off, followed by Valdeaulin. Gaius unsheathed _Heirsbane_ from the holster on his back and brought up the rear, vowing to have a private word with Estinien later that evening. The man's recklessness would get them all killed.

Though, he couldn't help a low thread of admiration to seep through the irritation. Estinien's method to puzzle out the exact location of the stores of poison had been ultimately successful. But no matter how impressed he was, Gaius wasn't on a suicide mission. Estinien had to be reined in.

As they carved a path through the facility, the loudspeaker blaring another set of instructions to ignore the original broadcast and follow protocol, Gaius couldn't help but be reminded of the Warrior of Light's reckless yet effective methods. He wondered if he could wheedle more information about them from Estinien later.

* * *

"Are we all in agreement?" Gauis asked, leveling a pointed stare at Estinien.

The dragoon harrumphed, but after a few seconds under Gaius' steady gaze he nodded. "No running ahead, no drawing unnecessary attention, and no setting off alarms on purpose," he recited in a bored monotone.

"Precisely," Gaius said with a nod, satisfied that Estinien would follow his lead this time.

He really should have known better.

Their latest target was a Garlean-built laboratory, much to Gaius' relief. The dark turrets jutting into the sky in the distance brought a sense of comfort to him. He knew how these buildings worked. A familiar sensation tugged at the back of his mind, as if he were stepping forward to meet an old friend. The jagged stone masonry of Dalmascan fortresses yielded to smooth metal. Even the weather brought an uncharacteristic pang of sadness to him. Gone was the searing heat of the desert days and chilly bite of the night. The gentle breeze caressed his cheek, as if welcoming him back home. It was a bitter reality. Gaius had dedicated his life for this land's prosperity, and where was he now?

He shook his head to rid himself of his musings. Melancholy and nostalgia had no place in his current course. There would be plenty of time for regrets later. He had to focus on the here and now. He owed it to his team.

They silenced the patrols around the perimeter. Gaius removed the identification card and secured it before Estinien could snatch it and scurry off. No one could say he didn't learn from his mistakes. They slipped into the facility, neutralizing those few Garlean forces they encountered. No alarms sounded their presence. Weaving their way through the building, silent and deadly, they managed to reach the control room without incident.

Even though Gaius was familiar with Garlean architecture, they still needed the blueprints of this particular facility to map out their route. Severa settled in at one of the control stations and began to hack into the system while Valdeaulin planted the explosives. Estinien lounged by the door, arms folded, acting as their lookout. Gaius made his way to the computers, tapping on the keys, searching for his own information.

Thus far the other facilities they had discovered yielded very little in terms of the question burning at his core. Who – or _what_ – wielded the crown of Garlemald? The rumors were abound, spreading as fast as wildfire and twice as deadly. Whenever Gaius had attempted to inquire as to the source of these rumors, he was met with dead ends.

Literally.

The Empire sought to suppress these rumors in its usual ruthless fashion. Though that didn't stop all of the whispers. The hushed gossip that an undead servant walked in the crown prince's skin. Rumors that Emperor Solus was still alive. Mutterings that His Radiance was nothing more than a puppet; that Varis had met with the members of the Eorzean Alliance (and the Warrior of Light as well).

Gaius knew there were fragments of truth in every rumor. He knew Emperor Varis had indeed met with the Eorzean Alliance. The details of that meeting remained shrouded in secrecy, though Gaius had discovered some of the finer points. Mostly from Estinien during dinners around the campfire. Gaius had figured out that his previous claim of merely being in contact with the Scions had been woefully understated. The Elezen was a veritable wealth of information on Eorzea's activities. One only had to sit and suffer through his complaints as well.

But the details that interested Gaius most (aside from updates on the condition of the slumbering Scions and the activities of the Warrior of Light) were those focused upon the political ramifications of Garlemald. And though he had long since shed any allegiance to it, a crumbling monarchy would lead to another blood civil war of succession. Gaius didn't want his home nation torn apart and decimated.

The idea of an Ascian hand in all this chaos fit perfectly with their agenda. Gaius knew they reveled in the pandemonium they caused, caring little for the people left suffering in their wake.

"I've identified the location of the Black Rose stores," Severa announced, pulling Gaius from his thoughts. His own screen beeped, displaying the fruits of his labor.

"About bloody time," Estinien muttered from the doorway. He glanced down at the device upon his wrist.

Severa packed up and headed over to stand next to Estinien. Valdeaulin finished his work and followed. Gaius almost closed the screen when an entry caught his eye. He frowned. Leaning in, he began to tap on the board in front of him.

"Gaius, we've secured what we need," Estinien said. "Let's get out of here before those alarms you so detest begin to ring."

Gaius glanced over, seeing the lance already in Estinien's hand. "Another moment," he said, returning his attention back to the screen. Ignoring Estinien's huff of impatience, Gaius followed the list of names downward until... there!

Emperor Varis himself had signed off on the assembly of Black Rose in these plants. He frowned. The previous laboratories all had borne _Zenos'_ signature (and that was a whole other issue Gaius was attempting to solve). Why the change?

A long sigh behind him, followed by, "Enough, I'm going," snapped him back to reality.

"Wait, Ser Estinien!" Gaius called out. But it was too late. The dragoon had disappeared.

"At least he didn't screech out that annoying war cry of his this time," Severa said in an effort to be helpful.

Just then, the sound of Estinien's familiar bellow reverberated back to them. Severa froze, then cast a sheepish look over to him.

Suppressing a curse under his breath, Gaius pointed. "Go," he ordered his companions, "I shall catch up momentarily. There is something I need to finish up here first."

They nodded and left without protest, leaving Gaius all alone with the computers. Acutely aware of the ticking time bombs surrounding him, he rushed through the records.

What exactly was Emperor Varis up to? And did that relate to the rumors surrounding Zenos? Wrapping up his search, he double checked to ensure that the information had uploaded to his personal device. Then, he unsheathed _Heirsbane_ and hurried after his companions.

* * *

As the flames of their most recent encounter with Black Rose burned in the distance, Gaius turned to the dragoon. "This is where we part ways, Ser Estinien."

He blinked in surprise. "What?"

"While the elimination of Black Rose is of paramount importance, the research I have gathered at the previous laboratory leads me to believe there is a higher power at work here. For every facility we destroy, another pops up just as fast."

"You aim to confront the Emperor," Estinien said, cutting through to the core of the matter.

Faced with the blunt assessment of his motives, Gaius relented with a nod. "Regardless of where it takes me, I must seek out the heart of this beast."

Estinien folded his arms. "And if it reveals something you don't like?" he prompted.

"I like nothing about this whole endeavor," Gaius snapped, then paused. He drew in a long, ragged breath. "My apologies for my outburst," he said. "If Garlemald is to survive, the diseased parts must be excised." He met Estinien's eyes. "Even if that includes the Royal Family."

"That's treason," Estinien pointed out.

"I fight for Garlemald now," Gaius countered, struggling and failing to keep the heat from his voice, "not it's ruling family."

Estinien studied him for a long moment. "Fine," he said at last. "Let's get moving then." He turned away.

"No."

Startled, Estinien turned back around. "No?" he echoed.

"Our methods are too different," Gaius explained. "What constituted as a passable alliance previously shall not hold up under what I need to do now."

"So you're just giving up?" Estinien challenged.

"Continue your mission from the Scions, Ser Estinien," Gaius said, "and save the world from another Calamity. Save the Scions. Save our Warrior of Light."

It was a shot in the dark, but one Gaius was reasonably certain was accurate. Though Estinien had danced around the topic of the exact location of the Warrior of Light whenever Gaius pressed him at dinner, he couldn't quite hide the shifting of his eyes. The worry in them. Gaius had long since deduced that if the Warrior of Light was able to assist in the elimination of Black Rose, the remaining Scions never would have coerced the prickly dragoon into helping. They would have sent their champion out instead. Thus, Gaius concluded that his former enemy-turned-ally was not merely "occupied" with another mission, but rather whisked away to worlds unknown. The puzzle pieces all fit. And Gaius was _really_ good at solving problems. He hid a smile as Estinien's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open, confirming his suspicions.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"That's unimportant right now," Gaius replied, pleased to have the upper hand in this conversation. He turned, then paused and faced Estinien again. "My destination is the capital. Should you discover your own travels bring you that far, wait at the intersection where the central library sits at the gates to the inner city. Two hours after sunset. Stand underneath the lamp post at the corner. I shall arrive within a fortnight. You have until the Garlean legion departs on their training leave before I begin my own mission, with or without your accompaniment. The thinning of troops will avail me the best chance to slip into the palace grounds unnoticed and I shall not allow such an opportunity to escape."

"I'll be there," Estinien vowed. Then, before Gaius could speak again, he turned and launched himself high into the air, clearing several yalms with a series of well-placed jumps. In seconds, he had vanished from Gaius' sight.

"You do realize he will be certain to meet us in the capital, correct?" Valdeaulin asked.

Gaius nodded. "Aye, I have no doubt he shall. Hopefully the time away will temper his impatience."

Valdeaulin snorted in disagreement, but didn't voice it.

"Come," Gaius said, turning away from the last spot he had seen Estinien, "we have a long journey ahead of us."

The three of them began their arduous trek into the heart of Garlemald in silence. Gaius reveled in it. He had a horrible feeling once he reached the palace there would not be any silence for a very long time.

**Author's Note:**

> A very special thank you to [PerditaAlottachocolate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerditaAlottachocolate) for beta-reading this, even though she knows next to nothing about FFXIV. I really appreciate you!
> 
> If I come up with any more ideas on how Estinien can annoy Gaius as these two run around being a thorn in Garlemald's side, I'll link it to this story as a series. But right now, I don't have any ideas.


End file.
